A song for Ella Grey

Reviewed by: Terri Bauld - Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, Kennebunkport, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 10, 2016

Review

A modern twist on an ancient tale of doomed lovers, this is one of the most unusual YA books I have reviewed. Based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, there is plenty of passion, darkness, beauty, despair and joy. The modern day teenagers engage in a range of sexual relationships, participate in plenty of drinking and swearing with a minimum of adult supervision. The text is beautifully written and draws you in to the teenage world of first loves, jealousy, rebellion, heartbreak and longing. This book will appeal to sophisticated readers with an interest in mythology and books with a literary twist. This story is not a fairy tale love story. It has many dark and strange elements that include a death by snakebite and a dramatic death in the end that is difficult to read and harder to comprehend. This haunting, tragic love story is likely to be controversial and is not for the faint of heart. For higher level high school students. As a side note, this book did win The Guardian's 2015 children's fiction prize in the UK. Children's writer Lynne Reid Banks was horrified by the content and was upset that this book won a "children's" book award.

Overall Book Score: good